Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Clovis city manager announces retirement (updated)

link Joe Thomas

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City Manager Joe Thomas’ surprise announcement of his impending retirement Monday will apparently have Mayor David Lansford and the city commissioners huddling behind closed doors later this week to figure out how to find a replacement.

Thomas said a closed executive session is scheduled for Thursday’s city commission meeting to determine the next step.

Thomas said the retirement will not be official until Nov. 1, 2015. He expects to leave office mid-April next year and collect paid sick and vacation days he’s accumulated over 42 years as a city employee.

Thomas said his plan for retirement is “anything not to do with public service.” He also said he wouldn’t take any job elsewhere as long as he continued collecting city paychecks.

Although Lansford didn’t return a phone call, Commissioners Randy Crowder and Juan Garza said they expect the city will advertise nationally for a new city manager.

“I would think that would be something to do,” said Garza. He noted that is how the city found police Chief Steve Sanders and other key department leaders.

“I would anticipate they would do that,” said Crowder. “I think it will be a very far reaching search. But I should think it would include locals, too.”

Thomas was named city manager in December 2004. He turns 64 years old on Oct. 10.

Thomas was the subject of a series of closed-door meetings with city commissioners this summer, though neither commissioners nor Thomas would specifically address the issues.

Commissioner Bobby Sandoval said Thomas’ employment was on the line and commissioners were divided on whether he should be retained, but the reason some wanted him out was never revealed.

“After all that stuff started going on, my wife and I came to the decision (that Thomas would retire), so I visited with the commission and they seemed to be willing to work with me,” Thomas said this morning. “After 42 years, I feel like it’s time … to move on and do other things while I’m still physically able.”

Thomas said he expects the process of finding his successor will take some time and that’s part of the reason he’s given a one-year notice. He also said he thinks it’s important he be around for the next state legislative session, which begins in January. “With the knowledge I have on the issues, I think it’s appropriate to hang around that long,” he said.